Heat sink assembly

ABSTRACT

A heat sink assembly includes a heat sink, a base, and a number of fasteners. The heat sink includes a bottom plate defining a number of holes. The base is mounted to a bottom of the bottom plate. A number of through holes aligning with the holes of the bottom plate are defined in the base. A number of tapered guiding surfaces is formed on a bottom of the base. Each guiding surface bounds a corresponding one of the through holes. A diameter of each guiding surface gradually increases in a downward direction, facilitates the entry of securing screws. The fasteners are mounted to the heat sink. Bottoms of the fasteners are respectively extended through the holes of the heat sink and received in the through holes of the base. An internally-threaded hole is defined in a bottom of each fastener.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present disclosure relates to a heat sink assembly.

2. Description of Related Art

A motherboard may include a number of screws to facilitate the attachment of a heat sink. To fix the heat sink to the motherboard, a number of fasteners each defining a threaded hole are extended through the heat sink and engage with the screws. However, in assembly, the fasteners must first be aligned with the corresponding screws, which may involve some wasted time and is troublesome.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the present embodiments can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present embodiments. Moreover, in the drawings, all the views are schematic, and like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a heat sink assembly.

FIG. 2 is a partially assembled, isometric view of the heat sink assembly of FIG. 1 from another perspective.

FIG. 3 is an assembled, isometric view of the heat sink assembly of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is similar to FIG. 3, but viewed from another perspective.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure, including the accompanying drawings, is illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation. It should be noted that references to “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily to the same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a heat sink assembly including a heat sink 10, a hollow base 20, four fasteners 30, four springs 40, four ring-shaped gaskets 50, and four snap rings 60.

The heat sink 10 includes a bottom plate 12, and a plurality of fins 14 formed on the bottom plate 12. The bottom plate 12 includes four corners, and a hole 121 is defined in each of the four corners of the bottom plate 12.

The base 20 includes four corners, and a circular recess 21 is defined in each of the tops of the four corners of the base 20. Four posts 23 are perpendicularly formed on the bottom of the base 20, respectively under the recesses 21. A through hole 231 is defined in each post 23 extending in an axial direction of the post 23 through a middle of the corresponding recess 21. A tapered guiding surface 233 is formed on the bottom of each post bounding the bottom end of the corresponding through hole 231. A diameter of each tapered guiding surface 233 gradually increases in a downward direction. The base 20 includes two opposite ends 25. Two inward-pointing hooks 26 extend up from each end 25.

Each fastener 30 includes a head 31, and a pole 32 perpendicularly extending down from a middle of the bottom of the head 31. A circumferential groove 321 is defined in the pole 32 adjacent to the bottom end of the pole 32. A internally-threaded hole 324 is defined in a middle of the bottom end of the pole 32.

In assembly, the springs 40 are placed around the poles 32. The gaskets 50 are placed around the poles 32, abutting against the springs 40 and holding them captive. The fasteners 30 are placed in the holes 121 and the poles 32 extend through the holes 121. The snap rings 60 are snapped into the circumferential grooves 321 to hold the fasteners 30 captive in the bottom plate 12. Thereby, the fasteners 30 are fixed to the heat sink 10. Each spring 40 is sandwiched between a head 31 and a gasket 50. Under the resilient force of the springs 40, the gaskets 50 press against the top surface of the bottom plate 12, and the fasteners 30 are pulled up until the snap rings 60 abut the bottom surface of the bottom plate 12.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the base 20 is placed under the heat sink 10 and the poles 32 aligned with the through holes 231. The base 20 and bottom plate 12 are manipulated to engage the hooks 26 with the tops of opposite ends of the bottom plate 12, and to locate the poles 32 in the through holes 231. The snap rings 60 are received in the recesses 21. Thereby, the heat sink assembly is assembled.

In mounting the heat sink assembly to a motherboard using four screws (not shown), the tapered guiding surfaces 233 functions as a guide whereby the four screws automatically enter the through holes 231 to engage in the threaded holes 324, which will make the installation of the heat sink 10 significantly more convenient.

The posts 23 are not a fundamental requirement in other embodiments, the through holes 231 and the tapered guiding surfaces 233 may be directly defined in the bottom of the base 20.

Even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the embodiments have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and the functions of the embodiments, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in details, especially in the matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the embodiments to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat sink assembly, comprising: a heat sink comprising a bottom plate defining a plurality of holes; a base mounted to a bottom of the bottom plate, wherein a plurality of through holes is defined in the base respectively aligning with the holes of the bottom plate, a plurality of tapered guiding surfaces is formed on a bottom of the base, each guiding surface bounds a corresponding one of the through holes, and a diameter of each guiding surface gradually increases in a downward direction; and a plurality of fasteners mounted to the heat sink, wherein bottoms of the fasteners are respectively extended through the holes of the heat sink and received in the through holes of the base, and an internally-threaded hole is defined in a bottom of each fastener.
 2. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein the base comprises two opposite ends, a inward-pointing hook extends up from each end, the hooks of the base engage with tops of opposite ends of the bottom plate.
 3. The heat sink assembly of claim 1, wherein each fastener comprises a head, and a pole perpendicularly extending down from a middle of a bottom of the head, the threaded hole of the fastener is defined in a bottom end of the pole.
 4. The heat sink assembly of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of springs and a plurality of snap rings, wherein a circumferential groove is defined in each pole adjacent to the bottom end of the pole, the springs are respectively placed around the poles on the bottom plate, and the snap rings are respectively engaged in the circumferential grooves of the poles and abut against a bottom surface of the bottom plate.
 5. The heat sink assembly of claim 4, wherein a plurality of recesses is defined in a top of the base to respectively receive the snap rings, the through holes respectively extend through middles of the recesses.
 6. The heat sink assembly of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of springs, a plurality of ring-shaped gaskets, and a plurality of snap rings, wherein a circumferential groove is defined in each pole adjacent to the bottom end of the pole, the springs are respectively placed around the poles over the bottom plate, the gaskets are respectively placed around the poles and sandwiched between the springs and a top of the bottom plate, the snap rings are respectively engaged in the circumferential grooves of the poles and abut against a bottom surface of the bottom plate.
 7. The heat sink assembly of claim 6, wherein a plurality of recesses is defined in a top of the base to respectively receive the snap rings, the through holes respectively extend through middles of the recesses.
 8. The heat sink assembly of claim 3, wherein a plurality of posts are perpendicularly formed on the bottom of the base respectively aligning with the through holes, the through holes respectively extend through the posts, and the guiding surfaces are respectively formed on bottom ends of the posts, bounding the corresponding through holes. 